Our Crowdfunding Groups
Our crowdfunding campaign has ended, but you can still support the Senior Practicum Team's Tobago trip by clicking here.
Meet the Team
We are a Senior Practicum team within the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA working in collaboration with the University of West Indies (UWI) to identify communities at-risk to riverine flooding in Tobago.
What is The Problem?
Tobago's history of colonization and slash-and-burn agricultural practices has left the island vulnerable to flooding. As the island's population grows, people are forced to settle in flood-prone areas, which makes riverine flooding even more vulnerable to local communities. Population growth has outpaced infrastructure development, which means that some parts of the island only have one access road, so flooding in these regions can make people isolated from the rest of the island and unable to access help.
International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies. (2024). Trinidad and Tobago Floods - November 2022, DREF Final Report. Retrieved March 5, 2024, from https://reliefweb.int/report/trinidad-and-tobago/trinidad-and-tobago-floods-november-2022-dref-final-report-mdrtt002.
The Solution
Our team will travel to Tobago to conduct ground truthing, which will assess the accuracy of our remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) models, which enable us to map flood-prone areas. Our collaborative efforts will identify nature-based flood reduction solutions that local communities can maintain to improve climate resiliency in the small island developing state. Through these comprehensive steps, we aim to contribute significantly to regional adaptability to climate change and sustainable management of our global ecosystems.
Alexander, J. (2021, September 9). (dissertation). Assessing local opinions on the potential for the use of Nature-based Solutions to reduce vulnerability to flooding and improve well-being in urban areas in Trinidad and Tobago. Retrieved March 5, 2024, from https://www.ccrif.org/sites/default/files/publications/studentpapers/Final_Dissertation_201443035_JA.pdf.
How will your donations help?
Your generous donations will allow us to build capacities, facilitate learning and exchange, raise awareness, and generate new knowledge on restorative nature-based solutions in Tobago and beyond. With your support, we can make a lasting impact on environmental sustainability and contribute to the well-being of communities in the region and around the world.
Additionally, an oil spill occurred off the coast of Tobago on February 7th, 2024. Your support will directly enable our team to go to Tobago and collaborate with the Tobago Emergency Management Agency to aid in this emergency situation.
Guardian News and Media. (2024, February 15). Tobago oil spill spreads to Grenada waters and could affect Venezuela. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/15/trinidad-tobago-oil-spill
Our Research Methods
With our UWI partners, we will identify the most at-risk communities in Tobago by examining a variety of environmental and social factors, including flooding frequency and intensity, building and road density, socioeconomic status, and a community's ability to access information about flooding from existing warning systems.
We will develop a methodological framework to identify communities that face the greatest riverine flooding risk in small island developing nations through remote sensing and on-the-ground field work. We will survey existing native plants that serve to mitigate flood damage to develop recommendations for nature-based solutions that can be maintained by community members. By working with UWI students and local Tobagonians, we will develop flood solutions that empower community members to take control flood mitigation efforts and increase their resiliency to climate change.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE UCLA FOUNDATION'S DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS FOR DONORS
Should this fund reach the campus minimum required for the establishment of an endowment or quasi-endowment, The UCLA Foundation reserves the right to convert this fund to an endowment or quasi-endowment. Please click here to learn more about how the UCLA Foundation invests and manages its endowments.
Every donation makes a difference! As a token of our appreciation for supporting the journey of our research team, we will send you a heartfelt UCLA *8* Clap of gratitude. Your contribution brings us one step closer to making a positive impact, and we are truly grateful for your support! (Fully Tax-Deductible)
In return for helping us achieve our goals for this project, you will receive a photo of our trip for your donation and generous support of the cause. (Fully Tax-Deductible)
To thank you for your support, you will receive a behind-the-scenes video of us working on the project! This will include footage of our progress throughout the duration of the project, both at UCLA and in Tobago. We hope this glimpse into our work shows you how important our project is and emphasizes our appreciation for your contribution. (Fully Tax-Deductible)
To express our gratitude for your donation, our team will send you a heartfelt handwritten thank-you card for your support. (Fully Tax-Deductible)
As a thank you, we will send you a UCLA x UWI shirt! (Tax-Deductible Donation of $230)
On top of the aforementioned perks, we will proudly acknowledge you in our final research presentation as a crucial contributor to our success. Your support has played a vital role, and we want to recognize your meaningful impact on our project. (Tax-deductible donation of $480).
In appreciation of your support, our team will express our gratitude by sending you a special gift from Tobago, accompanied by a handwritten thank-you card. You will also receive a t-shirt. Thank you for being a valuable part of our mission! (Tax-deductible donation of $970)